biostudies-literatureYang ZProject of the International Joint Laboratory for Agricultural Waste Utilization of Yunnan ProvinceForeign Expert Project in Yunnan ProvinceNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaJoint Project of Basic Agricultural Research in Yunnan ProvinceScientific Research Fund of the Educational Department of Yunnan Province5461https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12693702biostudies-literatureUnknown18(23)Restrictive regulations on the use of peat and increasing consumption in modern horticulture production have created an irreconcilable contradiction. Wood fibers (WF) produced from forestry residues are considered as a promising peat substitution. However, their poor water- and nutrient-holding capacity limit their application. Here, wood fiber-hydrogel composite (WF-Gel) was developed via a one-pot strategy by grafting poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) (P(AA-co-AM)) onto WF. The structure of the hydrogel network incorporated with WF was confirmed by FTIR spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The growing substrate amended with WF-Gel showed higher physical properties, including water-filled porosity (~62.33%) and water-holdingMaterials (Basel, Switzerland)Facile Fabrication of Wood Fiber-Hydrogel Composites for Enhanced Water and Nutrient Efficiency in Soilless Cultivation.PMC12693702202503AP140009202505AP120004202301BD070001-2042024J048632460362Liao JJi CYang ZMubarok MChen LQu YBrosse NZhou XMo HDi YfalseFacile Fabrication of Wood Fiber-Hydrogel Composites for Enhanced Water and Nutrient Efficiency in Soilless Cultivation.Restrictive regulations on the use of peat and increasing consumption in modern horticulture production have created an irreconcilable contradiction. Wood fibers (WF) produced from forestry residues are considered as a promising peat substitution. However, their poor water- and nutrient-holding capacity limit their application. Here, wood fiber-hydrogel composite (WF-Gel) was developed via a one-pot strategy by grafting poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) (P(AA-co-AM)) onto WF. The structure of the hydrogel network incorporated with WF was confirmed by FTIR spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The growing substrate amended with WF-Gel showed higher physical properties, including water-filled porosity (~62.33%) and water-holding2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Dec2026-05-26T11:10:24.741Z2026-05-24T03:11:38.944ZS-EPMC126937024137430310.3390/ma18235461